A cold front moved into the South Plains region on the afternoon of the 29th which fueled severe thunderstorm development along with flash flooding produced by heavy rainfall. A large upper level storm system was moving southeastward into western New Mexico with a weak short wave trough moving over West Texas.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS LUB wrote it up.
A cold front moved into the South Plains region on the afternoon of the 29th which fueled severe thunderstorm development along with flash flooding produced by heavy rainfall. A large upper level storm system was moving southeastward into western New Mexico with a weak short wave trough moving over West Texas. Lift from these features combined with the southward moving cold front to initiate thunderstorms across the central South Plains in the afternoon hours. A very unstable atmosphere south of the front produced very intense storms for areas across the Rolling Plains. One storm in King County generated hail as large as DVD-size. Widespread moderate to heavy rainfall was also observed with these storms producing flash flooding in and around Post (Garza County) and Jayton (Kent County).
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Lubbock, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 29, 1:15 PM CST, 7 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 215 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM... .KEY MESSAGES... - Severe thunderstorms are expected this afternoon into tonight across portions of the South Plains and into the Rolling Plains, and a few storms may be particularly intense. - A significant flash flooding event is expected across the Rolling Plains tonight, and a Flood Watch is in effect from 1 PM this afternoon through Wednesday morning. - Thunderstorms, some severe, will be possible Wednesday, followed by a slight reprieve Thursday and the return of storm chances Friday into the weekend. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Wednesday) Issued at 214 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025 Current water vapor imagery this afternoon shows the upper level low positioned across the Desert Southwest with a beltway of strong southwesterly flow stretching from the Permian Basin all the way into portions of Central Oklahoma. Meanwhile the surface low looks to be parked over the far West Texas region with the dryline positioned just east of the TX/NM state line. Given this and the faster progression of the cold front this morning, with the front currently parked just south of the US-82 corridor, our area of most concern looks to be fixated across the southeastern Rolling Plains within the warm-moist sector. East of the dryline and south of the FROPA, satellite imagery depicts a developing CU field where he have already seen a few towers try to initialize on KLBB radar early this afternoon. As thunderstorms develop, especially within the area highlighted above, MLCAPE values up to 2500 to 3000 J/kg and bulk shear magnitudes of 50 knots will allow for storms to quickly become severe with large hail up to baseball size and damaging winds to 80 mph possible. A few isolated tornadoes will also be possible with storms however given quick storm motions as depicted by forecast soundings give way to low confidence with this potential. Although storms look to be confined for areas east of the I-27 corridor, there is a chance as the upper level low moves closer to the region and we see better jet dynamics move in with an area of diffluence overhead will also lead to the potential for thunderstorms to initialize across portions of the South Plains late this evening. One caveat to this happening would be the fact that the environment behind the front looks to be too stable, given the lingering low- level stratus throughout the morning and early afternoon limiting diurnal destabilization. With this, we expect these better jet dynamics moving overhead to influence an additional round of thunderstorms with hi-resolution guidance hinting at the organization of an MCS through the overnight period. PWATs are well above seasonal normals, as they have been the past week, which in addition with the modest mid-level ascent will lead to the potential for heavy rainfall during the overnight period. Given the recent rainfall, with some WTM stations off the Caprock showing 4 day rainfall totals of 3 to 4 inches warrants and the potential for multiple rounds of precipitation within this area tonight, a Flood Watch which is in effect for areas off the Caprock from 1 PM this evening until 7 AM Wednesday. As for Wednesday, chances for showers and thunderstorms will continue through the morning and afternoon as the upper level trough tracks slowly through the TX Panhandle region. Activity will begin to decrease through the evening, as storms begin to diminish from west to east as the upper level trough ejects east into the South Plains region. As for temperatures on Wednesday, we should be cooler thanks the cooler air mass brought to us by this afternoon FROPA in addition to the northerly component of the wind, expect highs in the 70s area-wide. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday night through next Monday) Issued at 214 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025 Relatively quieter weather is expected Thursday into mid weekend as most of the active weather resides in the short term. A cold front is progged to push into the region late Thursday under a weak upper ridge. This will help to cool temps Friday back into the 60s area wide despite the overhead ridge. Uncertainty remains in the proximately of the cold front when progged convection develops along it late Friday. The GFS has the front much closer than the ECMWF and brings relatively heavy rainfall to at least our southern zones. An upper low is still progged to amplify as it moves towards the Four Corners late Sunday. There is some agreement with the possibility of more active weather (convection) early to mid next week associated with the upper low. South to southeasterly winds will help retain moisture in the region. Temperatures will slowing rise into the mid/upper 70s by early next week. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1237 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025 MVFR to IFR CIGs are expected at all three terminals through the afternoon as the FROPA looks to have progressed faster previous guidance. Due to this faster progression of the front, the confidence in severe TS impacting KLBB has decreased with higher confidence at KCDS later tonight. However, there still remains a chance for isolated thunderstorms to impact KLBB and KPVW this afternoon and early evening before pushing northeast. An additional round of storms is possible late tonight through early tomorrow morning, primarily impacting KCDS with lingering TSRA through sunrise. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for TXZ024>026-030>032- 036>038-042>044. && SHORT TERM...12 LONG TERM....51 AVIATION...12
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 205 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025 TXZ021>044-301915- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 205 PM CDT Tue Apr 29 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains, and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 9 PM CDT for the Rolling Plains, far southeastern Texas Panhandle, and the eastern South Plains. Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon across portions of the South Plains and into the Rolling Plains. All hazards will be possible with storms this afternoon and evening, including: tornadoes, very large hail up to baseball size, and damaging wind gusts up to 80 mph. Some tornadoes may be rain-wrapped and difficult to see. A significant flash flooding event is expected in the Rolling Plains tonight, as repeated rounds of heavy rainfall from a large complex of storms is expected. Some storms may be severe during the overnight hours, with a primary risk for large hail up to golf ball size. A Flood Watch is in effect for all of the Rolling Plains from 1 PM CDT this afternoon through 7 AM CDT Wednesday morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Daily chances for thunderstorms, some severe, will then continue for the rest of the week and into the weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed.
The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:23 UTC.
7 hail, 2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter and fire department officials reported a swath of hail from roughly six miles east of Tahoka to ten miles east of Tahoka along US Highway 380. Hail ranged in size from ping pong ball to golf ball size.
Numerous reports were received of a swath of hail oriented from southwest to northeast roughly along US Highway 62/82 from near Wolfforth into the west side of the city of Lubbock. Hail ranged in sizes from quarter to two inches in diameter. No damage was reported.
Several reports were received of very large hail from west of Post into the city of Post. Hail sizes ranged from two inches in diameter to 3.50 inches in diameter. No damage was reported.
Heavy rain from severe thunderstorms repeatedly trained over central Garza County resulting in flash flooding in and around Post. Numerous streets in and around Post were inundated with water.
Several reports were received of a swath of hail across a portion of King County from south of Guthrie to east of Guthrie. Reported hail ranged in size from golf ball to DVD-size. No damage was reported.
An NWS cooperative weather observer reported that a roof was blown off an abandoned home in Jayton. At the same time, a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Jayton measured a wind gust to 57 mph.
Law enforcement in Kent County reported hail up to four inches in diameter in the town of Girard. No damage was reported.
Flash flooding due to heavy rain occurred over Texas State Highway 70 between Girard and Jayton. Several severe thunderstorms moved over the same area producing multiple rounds of heavy precipitation.
Several reports were received from Floydada of hail ranging in size from golf ball to two inches in diameter. No damage was reported.
A report was received on mPing of ping pong ball size hail near Swenson.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2025
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1244412, 1244411, 1244415, 1244424, 1244416, 1244418, 1244417, 1244423, 1244419, 1244420.